Frustrated with how our swim team takes over the pool

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Blame the working parents who were pissy their kids couldn’t do morning swim team. The evening swim practices are a direct result of this.

God forbid people not be punished for having a job!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Blame the working parents who were pissy their kids couldn’t do morning swim team. The evening swim practices are a direct result of this.

Why not just do PM practice? Families with young kids could go in the morning, then go home to lunch/nap. Older kids would likely start showing up around noon, as the babies/toddlers are leaving, and stay through swim practice. Kids who are in camp would show up for swim practice, and stay until close.

Because not every family, including those whose parents work, has the same schedule you do.

Our a.m. practice takes the entire pool for 3 hours. Fold in the kids who come to p.m. practice and we'd need to close the pool for 4 or 5 hours. That means that many families wouldn't be able to go at all, to accommodate the small number of SAHM families who want morning.

Plus, we can get lifeguards for morning hours, because they are swim team kids who want to be part of the swim team. But getting teenagers to come at 9 a.m. for lifeguard shifts is going to be hard otherwise.

Finally, there is this weird idea on DCUM that there are two kinds of families, those where both parents work full time exactly 9 - 5 who send their kids to camp, and those with a SAHP. The reality is that the working world is much more diverse than that a.m. practice works for a lot of people. When I think of the families I know who do a.m. practice, we have families whose parents do shift work, or who use grandparents or teenagers as childcare and want that time broken up, or who have parents who are WFH, and kids at an age where a partial day at home works and a full day doesn't, or kids like mine with other significant commitment to a sport or art form or job in the afternoon. Both parents working full time, and using camps all summer is only the norm in a certain UMC bubble.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Blame the working parents who were pissy their kids couldn’t do morning swim team. The evening swim practices are a direct result of this.

God forbid people not be punished for having a job! [/quote

+1 and their kids!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Blame the working parents who were pissy their kids couldn’t do morning swim team. The evening swim practices are a direct result of this.

Why not just do PM practice? Families with young kids could go in the morning, then go home to lunch/nap. Older kids would likely start showing up around noon, as the babies/toddlers are leaving, and stay through swim practice. Kids who are in camp would show up for swim practice, and stay until close.

Because not every family, including those whose parents work, has the same schedule you do.

Our a.m. practice takes the entire pool for 3 hours. Fold in the kids who come to p.m. practice and we'd need to close the pool for 4 or 5 hours. That means that many families wouldn't be able to go at all, to accommodate the small number of SAHM families who want morning.

Plus, we can get lifeguards for morning hours, because they are swim team kids who want to be part of the swim team. But getting teenagers to come at 9 a.m. for lifeguard shifts is going to be hard otherwise.

Finally, there is this weird idea on DCUM that there are two kinds of families, those where both parents work full time exactly 9 - 5 who send their kids to camp, and those with a SAHP. The reality is that the working world is much more diverse than that a.m. practice works for a lot of people. When I think of the families I know who do a.m. practice, we have families whose parents do shift work, or who use grandparents or teenagers as childcare and want that time broken up, or who have parents who are WFH, and kids at an age where a partial day at home works and a full day doesn't, or kids like mine with other significant commitment to a sport or art form or job in the afternoon. Both parents working full time, and using camps all summer is only the norm in a certain UMC bubble.

Sorry to break it to you but swim team is the definition of UMC bubble. Even having a pool membership and everything OP described is peak UMC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Blame the working parents who were pissy their kids couldn’t do morning swim team. The evening swim practices are a direct result of this.

Why not just do PM practice? Families with young kids could go in the morning, then go home to lunch/nap. Older kids would likely start showing up around noon, as the babies/toddlers are leaving, and stay through swim practice. Kids who are in camp would show up for swim practice, and stay until close.

Because not every family, including those whose parents work, has the same schedule you do.

Our a.m. practice takes the entire pool for 3 hours. Fold in the kids who come to p.m. practice and we'd need to close the pool for 4 or 5 hours. That means that many families wouldn't be able to go at all, to accommodate the small number of SAHM families who want morning.

Plus, we can get lifeguards for morning hours, because they are swim team kids who want to be part of the swim team. But getting teenagers to come at 9 a.m. for lifeguard shifts is going to be hard otherwise.

Finally, there is this weird idea on DCUM that there are two kinds of families, those where both parents work full time exactly 9 - 5 who send their kids to camp, and those with a SAHP. The reality is that the working world is much more diverse than that a.m. practice works for a lot of people. When I think of the families I know who do a.m. practice, we have families whose parents do shift work, or who use grandparents or teenagers as childcare and want that time broken up, or who have parents who are WFH, and kids at an age where a partial day at home works and a full day doesn't, or kids like mine with other significant commitment to a sport or art form or job in the afternoon. Both parents working full time, and using camps all summer is only the norm in a certain UMC bubble.

This is very well-said. It is also a pretty limited age range.. basically early elementary.. for all-day camps every week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That's terrible, OP. And should NOT be normal. Say something to the pool manager, and tell him that families with young children are paying customers too, and they need access to some covered tables and not have to deal with bullhorns all the time. Pick one or two things you want from the manager and insist on those - you'll more likely to eke out a win.

I agree. I would be frustrated as well. Ours opens at noon everyday because swim practice and then adult only time. I’ve gotten used to it, but frustrating. Young kids get up early! Pools is closed when there are swim meets. No evening practices.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. That’s normal. Join the swim team.

I am not going to do that, but I was frankly embarrassed trying to meet up with friends who have toddlers to admit that basically we could swim for an hour or so before their kids needed to go home to nap or we could deal with the bullhorns. And we would not be able to get a table under shade until the swim team families decided to leave.

Wouldn't the toddlers need to go home for nap time anyway? Or you think the pool should be so quiet that they can nap there?

Ours is not as extreme - there is a very active swim team but it's a larger space (multiple pools), it's rarely closed for their events, and we can't have bullhorns due to community noise restrictions. But it's very fun and festive. This is my kid's first year doing it but we went all the time in the toddler/preschool years and it was a lot of fun - they actually loved watching the pep rallies and stuff too.

If it's a neighborhood pool, the focus is going to swim team and kid activities. Not sorry but that's how it goes - kids need to be out and active and burning off energy, a high-strung adult can find othet things to do. Some nap time toddlers who don't even belong to the pool (per the post that you wanted to bring them as guests) are not the pool's primary focus. This isn't some Caribbean resort designed for lounging around.

Most members at any pool are not participating in swim team. Also, guess what most kids are probably not on the swim team either. Why do you think the team makes sure to get swim team parents on the board? This is a minority group that is VERY invested and spends a lot of time at the pool, so they care more and do what they need to do to make sure they can use the pool how they want to use the pool.

If there are that many people that are as resentful as you think, run a different set of board members on a platform of cancelling swim team

This is actually a brilliant idea.

Awesome - sounds great! Give it a shot and report back here on how it all shakes out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Blame the working parents who were pissy their kids couldn’t do morning swim team. The evening swim practices are a direct result of this.

Why not just do PM practice? Families with young kids could go in the morning, then go home to lunch/nap. Older kids would likely start showing up around noon, as the babies/toddlers are leaving, and stay through swim practice. Kids who are in camp would show up for swim practice, and stay until close.

Because not every family, including those whose parents work, has the same schedule you do.

Our a.m. practice takes the entire pool for 3 hours. Fold in the kids who come to p.m. practice and we'd need to close the pool for 4 or 5 hours. That means that many families wouldn't be able to go at all, to accommodate the small number of SAHM families who want morning.

Plus, we can get lifeguards for morning hours, because they are swim team kids who want to be part of the swim team. But getting teenagers to come at 9 a.m. for lifeguard shifts is going to be hard otherwise.

Finally, there is this weird idea on DCUM that there are two kinds of families, those where both parents work full time exactly 9 - 5 who send their kids to camp, and those with a SAHP. The reality is that the working world is much more diverse than that a.m. practice works for a lot of people. When I think of the families I know who do a.m. practice, we have families whose parents do shift work, or who use grandparents or teenagers as childcare and want that time broken up, or who have parents who are WFH, and kids at an age where a partial day at home works and a full day doesn't, or kids like mine with other significant commitment to a sport or art form or job in the afternoon. Both parents working full time, and using camps all summer is only the norm in a certain UMC bubble.

Sorry to break it to you but swim team is the definition of UMC bubble. Even having a pool membership and everything OP described is peak UMC.

Having parents who work the night shift, or using grandma or a teen sibling babysit to instead of paying for camp each week is UMC bubble?

[Anonymous]

We don’t have that many parents who watch practice. They use a handful of tables. Regardless, they have to clear the deck at the end of practice. Practice ends at 10:00 and the pool opens at 11:00.

We don’t have evening practice.

[Anonymous]

I would be resentful, too, OP - and we have three kids in summer swim and consider it one of the highlights of the whole year!

FWIW, our team has two morning practices, which total run from 7:45 - 10am. The pool opens at 10am; afternoon practices run from 4 - 6:15pm. Our pool runs two lane ropes across the main pool during afternoon practice, so people can do something resembling laps during that time. AFAIK, there aren't many parents who claim tables during morning swim - the ones who stay are almost always clacking away on their laptops before driving the kids to camp (raises hand).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Blame the working parents who were pissy their kids couldn’t do morning swim team. The evening swim practices are a direct result of this.

Why not just do PM practice? Families with young kids could go in the morning, then go home to lunch/nap. Older kids would likely start showing up around noon, as the babies/toddlers are leaving, and stay through swim practice. Kids who are in camp would show up for swim practice, and stay until close.

Because not every family, including those whose parents work, has the same schedule you do.

Our a.m. practice takes the entire pool for 3 hours. Fold in the kids who come to p.m. practice and we'd need to close the pool for 4 or 5 hours. That means that many families wouldn't be able to go at all, to accommodate the small number of SAHM families who want morning.

Plus, we can get lifeguards for morning hours, because they are swim team kids who want to be part of the swim team. But getting teenagers to come at 9 a.m. for lifeguard shifts is going to be hard otherwise.

Finally, there is this weird idea on DCUM that there are two kinds of families, those where both parents work full time exactly 9 - 5 who send their kids to camp, and those with a SAHP. The reality is that the working world is much more diverse than that a.m. practice works for a lot of people. When I think of the families I know who do a.m. practice, we have families whose parents do shift work, or who use grandparents or teenagers as childcare and want that time broken up, or who have parents who are WFH, and kids at an age where a partial day at home works and a full day doesn't, or kids like mine with other significant commitment to a sport or art form or job in the afternoon. Both parents working full time, and using camps all summer is only the norm in a certain UMC bubble.

Sorry to break it to you but swim team is the definition of UMC bubble. Even having a pool membership and everything OP described is peak UMC.

Having parents who work the night shift, or using grandma or a teen sibling babysit to instead of paying for camp each week is UMC bubble?

I think PP meant paying a $1000 “initiation fee”, plus an $800 annual club membership was UMC.

[Anonymous]

^^and we do host A and B meets, which results in some closures. I get that's annoying, but our pool works hard to at least acknowledge the inconvenience. We do keep tennis and basketball courts open during B meets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Blame the working parents who were pissy their kids couldn’t do morning swim team. The evening swim practices are a direct result of this.

Why not just do PM practice? Families with young kids could go in the morning, then go home to lunch/nap. Older kids would likely start showing up around noon, as the babies/toddlers are leaving, and stay through swim practice. Kids who are in camp would show up for swim practice, and stay until close.

Because not every family, including those whose parents work, has the same schedule you do.

Our a.m. practice takes the entire pool for 3 hours. Fold in the kids who come to p.m. practice and we'd need to close the pool for 4 or 5 hours. That means that many families wouldn't be able to go at all, to accommodate the small number of SAHM families who want morning.

Plus, we can get lifeguards for morning hours, because they are swim team kids who want to be part of the swim team. But getting teenagers to come at 9 a.m. for lifeguard shifts is going to be hard otherwise.

Finally, there is this weird idea on DCUM that there are two kinds of families, those where both parents work full time exactly 9 - 5 who send their kids to camp, and those with a SAHP. The reality is that the working world is much more diverse than that a.m. practice works for a lot of people. When I think of the families I know who do a.m. practice, we have families whose parents do shift work, or who use grandparents or teenagers as childcare and want that time broken up, or who have parents who are WFH, and kids at an age where a partial day at home works and a full day doesn't, or kids like mine with other significant commitment to a sport or art form or job in the afternoon. Both parents working full time, and using camps all summer is only the norm in a certain UMC bubble.

Sorry to break it to you but swim team is the definition of UMC bubble. Even having a pool membership and everything OP described is peak UMC.

Having parents who work the night shift, or using grandma or a teen sibling babysit to instead of paying for camp each week is UMC bubble?

I think PP meant paying a $1000 “initiation fee”, plus an $800 annual club membership was UMC.

That seems pricey.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:EVERY summer!

Join the team, it’s fun. Kids love it. It creates lifelong memories.

Tons of pools in MoCo do it and there is an NVSL league also.

You sound so stupid

Huh?

[Anonymous]

Currently, our swim team has the whole pool for two hours in the morning and half the pool for three hours in the afternoon plus the dive team has the well for two hours every afternoon. It’s a lot for non-team pool members. As a former pool manager, I understand why my family is not the demographic the pool needs so our interests aren’t a priority. We may drop the membership or go for the late summer only option though I would miss going over on the weekends in June and July (during times when there aren’t meets!).